Dean Fletcher, 32, worked as an accountant for Bovis Homes in Exeter after graduating from Cardiff University.

He was running to raise funds for the university's Neuroscience and Mental Health Research department and since his death hundreds of people, including anonymous strangers, friends and fellow runners who have donated thousands of pounds and left messages of condolence.

Two young runners died at the end of the race - dad-of-one Dean and Ben MacDonald, 25, from the Vale of Glamorgan. Both suffered cardiac arrests after crossing the finish line on Sunday. They were the first fatalities in the 15 year history of the race.

The pair were taken to the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Heath, Cardiff, but medics were unable to save them.

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Dean, who left Cardiff University with a first-class honours degree in Accounting and Finance, returned to the Welsh capital as part of the 350-strong Team Cardiff group to raise funds for neuroscience and mental health at Cardiff University who have together so far raised almost £30,000.

Bovis Homes' Regional Managing Director Dave Farley said: “We are devastated by Sunday’s tragic news and all our thoughts are with Dean’s family at this sad time.

"Dean was a generous, talented and extremely popular colleague and he will be hugely missed by all his friends here at Bovis Homes.”

Donations and messages of condolence have been flooding into Dean's JustGiving page

Dean leaves behind his wife Kate and young daughter Evie.

He was running the 13.1-mile half marathon for the university's neuroscience and mental health research department which he said was 'a subject very close to my heart'.

The JustGiving page had just reached Dean's £600 target before the race - but since the tragic news of his death another £2,000 has come flooding in with messages of condolences from friends and from people who didn't know.

On his JustGiving page before the race Dean wrote: "Please help me raise vital funds to help support Cardiff University undertake life changing research into neuroscience and mental health.

"A subject very close to my heart and one that has probably impacted all of us in one way or another either personally or through friends and family. Let’s help smart people change the world for the better!"

James Asher wrote on the JustGiving page: "To Deans family and friends. I'm so sorry for your loss. Reading Deans message on his justgiving account doing the Cardiff 1/2 marathon, he seemed a very funny happy go lucky person."

Cerys Pinkman gave £5 saying: "I ran yesterday and am heartbroken to hear this. I can't afford much being a student. But I hope it helps."

“Our medical team responded within seconds and were able to take both gentlemen to our primary medical centre – which is basically like a full A&E unit – located no more than 20 metres from the finish line,” he said.

“The resuscitation process started there and then, and both gentlemen were quickly transferred to the University Hospital of Wales.”

This is the seventh time Run 4 Wales has been in charge of the Cardiff Half Marathon, with the event taking a full 12 months to plan.

Mr Newman said the run, which is the UK’s second most popular half marathon, is reviewed every year by its medical director.

He added: “We have a team of 10 doctors in place, and we have medics deployed around the course because incidents can happen anywhere along the 13.1-mile route. We also have a huge deployment of St John’s Ambulance.

“So a whole plan is in place to deal with any eventuality, but this is the first time we’ve had to deal with something of this nature.

“The medical team acted with complete professionalism and there was absolutely nothing more that could have been done.

“We always have a report on the number of people who sought medical attention, whether that be from hydration-related issues, to cramps to pulled muscles throughout the course.

“We are absolutely confident that our deployment on the day could not have been better.”

He said running conditions were “perfect” on Sunday - and ruled out heat playing a part in their deaths.

He added: “The weather literally could not have been better both for the Commonwealth Championships and for the mass of runners following behind them.

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“Heat would certainly not have been an issue as other events throughout the summer have suffered with.

“We are in no position at the moment to speculate [about what happened to the runners].

“We make sure runners are informed of all the things they need to put in place from a health perspective, that they have trained properly and that they are aware of any health issues and to notify us of those prior to the event.”

Sharon Owen, from the charity Welsh Hearts, said 12 young people die in the UK each week from an undiagnosed heart condition.

The charity now offers free screening sessions throughout the country which involve a "simple and painless" 10-minute electrocardiogram (ECG).

“Any young person who undertakes any kind of sport or who is considering a career in sport should get their heart screened,” she said.